A new format — some would say “gimmick” — in the all-star game, namely 3-on-3.

Expansion.

Fighting.

The 2018 Olympics — to go or not to go.

A push for bigger ice surfaces.

On the eve of all-star weekend here in Music City, there seems to be as many issues facing the National Hockey League as there are Honky Tonks sprinkled along Nashville’s famed (and, at times, wicked) Broadway strip.

In order to address some of the pressing situations looming over the league, Postmedia went 1-on-1 with the NHL’s second-in-command, deputy commissioner Bill Daly, grilling him on a wide variety of subjects.

This is Bill Daly, unplugged.

SCOTTGATE: NHL’S THROBBING HEADACHE

Read between the lines of Daly’s response, and you get the hint that the league needs to at least tweak its all-star selection process.

If we’ve learned a lesson from Scottgate — the controversy revolving around a guy who isn’t even playing in the NHL right now — it’s just that.

“Look, as a practical matter,” Daly said, “the all-star game is set up for the best players in the league. And so, the fact that the fans voted in a player who really isn’t an NHL all-star is something that we have to think about in terms of what we plan to do in the future going forward.

“But certainly we made our bed with respect to the fan engagement part of this where fans were free to make a choice as to who they would like to see participate. Once you have a voting mechanism in place, as long as there is nothing illegitimate about the voting process, you have to respect the vote.

“We’re looking forward to have John there, I know he is looking forward to it, I know his family is looking forward to it.”

Daly makes a good point when he says the NHL made its bed.

As such, imagine the reaction inside league offices when a column penned by Scott for The Players’ Tribune suggested NHL officials tried to talk him out of coming here. Scott’s piece was released on the web hours after this interview with Daly was conducted.

Still, here was Daly’s response when recently asked about the optics of the Scott fiasco: “It’s an all-star game. It’s not life and death.”

***

3-ON-3: FRESH FORMAT OR GIMMICK?

For his part, Daly is enthused about the 3-on-3 setup for the all-star game, which certainly has been creating buzz down in Tennessee. In other words, he doesn’t seem worried about critics calling it a gimmick.

“I guess its something I’m not really too concerned about,” he said. “I am actually excited. I think all-star games in all sports are challenges by definition.

“But any time you can change it up and try a different approach is welcome. And I think that the fact that there is $1 million US at stake for (the winning) team, which is a pretty hefty cheque, serves as just another incentive for the players.”

There is no denying the hype that has been circulating leading up to the weekend’s happenings, more than in recent memory.

“I think it might have to do with the freshness of the format,” Daly said. “But I think there is a level of enthusiasm about this year’s all-star weekend, with respect to what people are going to see at the event, that has been missing in the past two couple of all-star games.”

***

EXPANSION: IS VEGAS CALLING?

There will be no definitive decision made this weekend regarding the Las Vegas and Quebec City expansion bids, according to Daly.

In fact, Bill Foley, the moneybags businessman attempting to woo a franchise to Sin City, does not plan to attend all-star weekend despite the fact that the NHL’s board of governors will meet here on Saturday.

The league’s executive committee did gather in New York last week to discuss various expansion-related issues. One of those is believed to centre around a potential expansion draft, who would be eligible to be protected, and whether players with no-movement clauses would be exposed in such a setup.

The executive committee did have “a good meeting,” Daly said.

“They’re making progress in terms of the review process,” he added. “They came up with some recommendations that we might put forward to the board. We’ll briefly at least summarize the process for the board on Saturday. We’ll talk about any specific recommendations and then, we’ll progress from there.”

As for Foley, he told the Las Vegas Review-Journal earlier this week that “I think it will be March or April, and then we can start putting one foot in front of another. I think it’s complicated for the other owners. … I’m sure the draft is something they’re struggling with.”

***

PEDs: ‘THERE IS NO ISSUE TO BATTLE’

When the Ducks’ Shawn Horcoff this week was smacked with a 20-game suspension for being involved with a performance-enhancing drug — one the veteran forward claimed he did not know was against the rules — the critics began wondering why there have been so few failed tests over the years.

In Daly’s mind, this subject has been blown out of proportion.

“I take issue with (suggestions) that there aren’t more positives coming out of the program,” an emotional Daly said. “Battling the issue is overstating it. There is no issue to battle. We’ve never had an issue with performance-enhancing drugs. And we continue not to have an issue with performance-enhancing drugs.

“Am I satisfied with our program? I don’t think any program is perfect. I think there were weak pursuits in our first program that were meaningfully addressed in the most recent collective bargaining agreement negotiation where the program is better than it was when we first implemented it. Doesn’t mean it’s perfect. Doesn’t mean it can’t get better. But it’s a very adequate program.”

***

THE WAR ON BLOW (AND OTHER DRUGS)

Daly raised some eyebrows earlier this season with the admission that the number of NHLers having tested positive for cocaine had gone up.

To that end, Daly continues to talk tough about the fight against cocaine.

“I think the message has been pounded pretty hard this year with respect to drug abuse, both personally but also for the integrity of the league,” Daly said. “That’s what the players should be focused on. Again, I think they’ve received that message loud and clear from multiple sources.”

The league and players’ association continue to discuss the issue, which isn’t about to disappear overnight.

***

FIGHTING: ‘ALWAYS GOING TO EXIST’

When ex-NHL enforcer Brian McGrattan, now with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls, was brutally knocked out by San Antonio forward Daniel Maggio last week, the issue of fisticuffs took centre stage. Again.

According to Daly, the NHL will never completely be stripped of scraps. Harsher punishment for it? That remains to be seen.

“Fighting will always be an issue as long as it exists in the game,” Daly said. “And look, it’s always going to exist in the game. Even if we were to change our rules and, quote, ‘ban fighting,’ you’re still going to have fights. It’s clearly a debate on how you penalize fights. It’s not really a debate as to if you’ll have fighting or won’t have fighting because fighting will always exist in our game.

“I agree with you that our game as evolved. The role of fighting, well, I won’t say it’s non-existent but I will say it’s become minimal. If the general managers consider the issue about further potential penalties for fighting at (the GMs meetings) in March, we’ll see if it’s on the agenda. I can’t tell you any more about it until March.

“I can say it does not appear to be on the top of anyone’s priority list.”

***

RINK SIZE: IS BIGGER BETTER?

Flames president Brian Burke is pushing for new NHL arenas to have the capacity to widen their playing surfaces from the current 85 feet to 90 feet to help open up the game. The Red Wings’ new downtown arena, which currently is under construction, will have the flexibility to do just that.

In Daly’s mind, this is not a pressing matter.

“Whether I think it’s high on a priority list, I don’t think it’s a widespread view that we need to be fiddling with the size of our ice surface which has been consistent now for probably the past 25 or 30 years,” Daly said. “So, I understand Brian’s point of view, I understand (the Red Wings’) Jimmy Devellano’s point of view on this. I won’t question its validity.

“(But) I don’t think it’s as significant an issue as they might want to make it.

***

OLYMPICS: IS SOUTH KOREA CALLING?

First off, Daly wants to make one thing clear: there is no correlation between the revival of the World Cup of Hockey and the league’s potential participation in the 2018 Olympics in South Korea.

“It’s not really tied to the World Cup,” he said. “There is an ongoing dialogue. Really, we’re in the early stages of that.

“I had a meeting with the IIHF in late October. They’re working on some things with the IOC and the federations. We’ve expressed a desire to get answers a little bit earlier than we’ve received the last couple of times we’ve gone to the Olympics. But we’re not up against any deadlines here. That’s going to be a process that plays out over time.

“We’ll make a decision collectively with the players’ association in what makes the most sense for the league and the players and the game going forward.”

Among the factors that might influence the NHL’s decision: insurance issues, scheduling and, presumably, the uncertain political climate in North Korea.

“I don’t want to be specific,” Daly said. “It’s a different environment in South Korea than it was in Russia (in 2014). I would say there are no new issues. And I would say they’re not that different. We’re just dealing with different context and a different circumstance being in South Korea than being in Russia.”

***

CONCUSSION LAWSUIT = WAITING GAME

As of November, 92 players were involved in the class-action lawsuit alleging the league was aware of the long-term implications of head trauma.

From the NHL’s standpoint, it’s a waiting game.

“It’s litigation that’s ongoing,” Daly said. “We’re a year into the discovery. It’s an ongoing process.”

Almost Done!

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I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.